Liquor industry giants spread false campaign for undue profits: Ex-MP

An ex-parliamentarian yesterday lashed out at local liquor industry giants saying they are spreading false campaigns that the locally made ethanol had drastically affected the quality of their liquor.

Former State Minister Janaka Wakkumbura addressing a media briefing said that under no means the government will revert the decision to allow ethanol imports and harm the local sugar industry.

He said these liquor companies made a huge fuss since the government banned ethanol imports since the beginning of this year, as they had to buy their quota of ethanol from the local suppliers under a minimum price.

“When ethanol was imported at Rs.290 per litre they had no complaints but when the two local sugar industry plants in Sevanagala and Pelawatta were issuing them for a control price, the liquor manufacturers were complaining the local products were substandard,” he said.

By banning the import of ethanol, this government had taken steps to safeguard the local sugar industry and especially sugarcane cultivators and the workers attached to the industry. Infrastructure was developed and a better income was guaranteed to those who were involved in the industry.

However, the liquor companies did not like this as their sole purpose was to increase make excessive amounts of profits from the trade by importing their raw material for a very lower price from any other country.

“The Government Analyst had proved by various tests by now that there was no quality drop in the locally made ethanol. Yet these local liquor manufacturers resort to false campaign saying their products have been affected by the locally made ethanol, which is an absurd accusation,” the ex-MP said.

“Therefore, we would like to pass them the message that the government by any chance will not take the step back to let ethanol imports and destroy the local sugar industry and its by-product ethanol manufacturing,” Mr. Wakkumbura stressed. (Kurulu Koojana Kariyakarawana)